It contains various pieces of information concerning the role of Chinese mestizos in the context of Philippine History. Specifically, on how the Chinese were able to rise as an important element in Philippine Society. Students will understand the implication of the ascendancy of Chinese Mestizos
Lesson 6 (I) Jose Rizal and the Chinese Connection
Prepared by: SAS Faculty
Learning Objectives
• Discuss how the Chinese were able to rise as an important element in Philippine Society.
• Evaluate the role of Chinese mestizos in the context of Philippine History.
• Understand the implication of the ascendancy of Chinese Mestizos.
The Role of the Chinese in the Philippines
• Chinese immigration to the Philippines has been going on since precolonial period.
• Chinese trade conducted by Chinese vessels began much later around 900 AD.
• In the Parian or the Chinese quarter, the Spaniards had their shoes made or repaired, bought
their bread, and had their clothes sewn by Chinese workers.
• The Spaniards depended on the Chinese so much that following the Chinese revolt in 1660,
deported what remained of the Chinese community and prevented the entry of new Chinese
immigrants as result, they found no one to bake their bread, repair their shoes or build their
ships.
• They were ministered by the Dominicans who held the Church of Binondo. This explain the
closeness of the Rizal’s family to the Dominicans. The ancestors of the Rizal's, Lam-co was
baptized as Domingo, after the founder of the Order and through association with the
Dominicans, Lam-co was able to live and work in the Dominican hacienda of Biñan.
• As for the Chinese community through hard work and economic savvy the Chinese were able
to gain economic power. They also intermarried with the local population creating a new caste,
the mestizo sangley or the Chinese mestizo, which was the counterpart of the mestizo
Español or the Spanish mestizo.
• As the local community of Chinese and Chinese mestizos becomes more affluent, they began
to manifest their wealth in the way they live. Mestizos were responsible for innovating clothes
using elaborate designs or piña cloth, which resulted in the barong Filipino, and adorning
their headwear and altars in silver. The homes of the rich mestizos became known as the
bahay na bato. Mestizo Chinese also went beyond basic education offered by the friars and a
number of them took up higher education.
• The Chinese community became a major economic lifelihood of the Philippines. They owned
most of the shopping malls, banks, all the airlines and the shipping lines of the Philippines.
The Ancestry of Jose Rizal: “The Chinese Connection”
• Jose Rizal’s bloodline came from a line of many ethnicities. His greatgreat grandfather was a
man named Lam-co. He was a son of Siang Co and Zunio from the village of Sinque in the district Chin
Chew in Fujian, China.
• In 1690, Lam-co migrated to the Philippines and settled in Manila. During the early times, China
had already a burgeoning population, and events such as prolonged drought, floods or war can send large
groups of Chinese trying to settle outside their country.
• Lam-co married a Chinese mestiza named Inez de la Rosa. His name now was Domingo Lam-
co. His new name was friendly with the Dominican friars Francisco Marquez and Juan Caballero who
convinced him to settle at the Dominican estate in Biñan, Laguna.
• In 1783, Francisco Mercado was elected Gobernadorcillo or Municipal Mayor of Biñan Laguna.
His son Juan Mercado was elected Capitan del pueblo in 1808. He was re-elected to this position in 1813
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